February 7, 1867. J 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



109 



TO CORRESPONDENTS. 



••• Wg reqiiefst tlmt no one will \VTite privately to the (depart- 

 mental writers of tlie "Journal of Horticulture, ColUrre 

 Giirdener, and Country Gentleman." By so doing tiiey 

 are Ruhjected to nnjnstifiablo tronHe and expense. ALi 

 oommnniciitions should therefore be addressed solchj to 

 The EditnTs of thn Journal of Horticulture, d'c, 171, Fleet 

 Strpff, Loudon, E.G. 



X.B. — l^Iany questions must remain unanswered until next 

 week. 



"The MrLBrnnv i=! TV'tsF.Ti rnAN the I*eacu'' 

 Lag been vcrsilietl as follows : - 



[F. T. 7?.).— This proverb 



** Tbfl Pencb tre^, with too citrer hnste 

 To show its bio'jsoma to the sun, 

 Gives its pretty bloom to waste 

 Before tbo frosts of spring arc done. 

 " JInch wiser i:i the MulbpiTy, 



Which only thinks its leaves to show 

 When leaves arc f?ri>en on ev'rv tret-, 

 And Hoses have bt^uu to blow. 

 '* Thev raost eu'^nro s«f cess nnd prnise 

 Who, ffuifb'd by the rule of reason. 

 Do fif tiuiT thincs on fitting days 

 And dre?s as most becomes the season." 

 Potatoes— Eaplv Ross i.T. M 1.— It mi^bt be obtained from some 

 Feedsmau in Seotlnnd. We do not know it bere. 



DisscLviNG Bones (J. P. Oravei).—To form snneri>bosphnte of lime 

 the proportions are 1 lb. Qf bones, 12 ozs. of sulpl.uric acid, and 12 oza. 

 of water. 



SoAP-stTDS AS A Manure 'i?. 7?.).— If Dr. nrc^ser stated in his lecture 

 that soap-snds not only nrn not fprtilising, but are " a deadly poison" to 

 Irnit trees, he made a ^cat mist::ke. 



WoRKiXG Pr.AKS OF GunKNHousKS (Jla^thi Man).~li is quite im- 

 possible for us to furuish tluui. Notbins is more easy than to show a 

 local can>enter the Mad of house you need, and ask bim to send a de- 

 tailed estimate. 



Vehbenas in Frame Mildewed f T'. .Sr.l.— The shoot was much affected 

 with mildew. No amount of tobRcco STnnhe will destroy it. Yoii must 

 dust the spot'? on the le 'ves and stem with 'Towers of sulphur throujrb a 

 thin ninslm h\\i\ api>ly the sulphur to tbo under as well as the uppersur- 

 face of the leaves. This aud more nir will fifect a cure. We do not ob- 

 serve any trace of thrips, therefore discontinue the tobacco fumigation. 



Muscat Hamburoh Grapfs Crackin'C (A. _B.).— Yoiu" bouse must hnvo 

 been kept clo'se and moist. The cracking is easily accounted for by the 

 attack of miUlevv. nn tlic fir^^t nT>;i^arance of whieb you pboulrt have 

 dusted the nffucted p'>r!s with flowers of sulphur. The fict of your 

 bouse not being heated reuflers it dif^.cult to kcpp its atmosphere drv 

 when tje friiit is lipcninrr ; but you raav do much bv living air e^rly and 

 shutting up early, affor.ling. however, a little ventilntion at night. Tbo 

 outside border will he unf-tvnnrahle to the Tipimin^ of the fruit, pirticn- 

 larly if the weathrr be wnt. We dn not consider the M-i^oot Hamburgb 

 a suitable Grape fur plauting in cool houses having outside borders. 



SuMaxER-pRUNTOG Peacit Trkes fIF. O— The sbnot^ stopped at the 

 third leaf, if the laterals produced upon them during the summer are 

 stopped at the first leif. v/ill not require any pruning in winter, as they 

 willfor thn most pirt be so many clusters of spurs and fruit-buds, and to 

 cut them in would be to s^critice the crop. Anv, however, which are 

 veiy long mty be t-hortened to within an inch of their base. The shoots 

 left at 9 inches apart to covpr the wall are not to be shortened, exceut to- 

 cause the production of sufficient shoots to cover the wall at the above 

 distance apart. Th-^y may in that cise he shortened at the winter prun- 

 ingto half or two-thirds of Iheir length, as may be necessary. We can- 

 not name plants from mere leaves. 



Plants for Shahed Border {A Siih&c-iher).~Yon sqy "tbe south side of 

 g;irden under the 10 fert-higb wnll. consequently sbaried bv the wall " We 

 conclude it is to the north of the w.all, and, if so, the plants are few th-it 

 ■mil grow in such situations. Viucii mijor and minor, and London Piide, 

 are about the only plmts tli^i.t would thrive near the wpII. though at some 

 distance from it Primulas. Auriculas, Pinks, ^weet WiUie ms. Stocks, and 

 most herbaceous jdants would snccend tolerably woU. If. on the otb^r 

 hand, the border is to the south of tbo wall, it'would an:?wer fflmirrbly 

 for early-floM-enng bulbs and plants, as Snowdrops. Winter Aconitfs, Crr- ' 

 cuses. Tulips, and Hepatica?, succeeded by bedding plants, as Pelargo- 

 niums. Lobelias, Calceolarias, and many others, as well as Stocks, AsteiT, 

 and various annuals. 



Laxton's Pea iAmateun, — As 3Ie='grs. Carter's observations apueared 

 in the col'imns nf another Jnui-ual, it is in tJiose columns your further 

 comments should be inserted. 



Man Traps {J.F. .?.).— It is not legal to set them either in a walled or un- 

 wallcd ga'den. Blanche Suneriio and Louis Philippe are Ehododeiidrons 

 that would suit you; hut if you write to auy nurseryman and tell him 

 what you need, he would supply you. 



Culture of Ferns (Major '*. /f.b— "The Fern Manual" contains what 

 you require. If you enclose sixty-four postage stamps with your address 

 you can have it fre« by post from •ur olBce. 



Book (Fred .— Henfrey's " ■^"tmctural and Physiological Botajiy" will 

 suit yon, A botanist's dissecting microscope may be purchased for a 

 guinea. 



Pit Perfectlv Shaded (E. H".).— No pl.int will thrive in such a sunless 

 situation except some of the Ferns. Wo advise you not to heat so small 

 a structure, but to be content with hardy Ferns. Any of these will grow 

 in your pit. 



_ Onn Journal (H". H.l.— You ought to receive it on Friday. Wo pub- 

 lish now on Thnrsday morning. We cannot insure a copy not to he 

 delayed by the Post Office. If it freauentjy occurs, write a romplnint to 

 the Secretary, General Poet Office. St. Martin' sde- Grand, London. He 

 will give the local postmasters a wigging. 



Ai*pi.B» vou Vonnii op IbKhasd f-4.' K K.y.—Vfe have nn doufbt tliat 

 Blenheim Orange and Coe'B G-tildou Drop will ripen in your district. 



TiiAiNED TitKEfl (T.P. F).— The plate in Kennctt's *' Parochial Anti- 

 quities" merely i-cnresftnts evergreens trained round arcLudrecesaebiiii 

 the front of Sir John Walter's house. 



SuEiTiTrTE FOR CLorn SnuEDS.— We are gratified to find the very 

 excellent substitution of india-i-ublu-r cloth for the old-fashioned anil 

 Inr.sh cloth shreds is lihtly to be generally adopted. We oh?erve tJic 

 notice of this article (Joijrnal op HoitTicuLTur-ii, page itH). Tbo same, 

 idea was suggested to us some months since by that eminent horticul- 

 turist. Dr. Wallace, of Rallymcna, Ireland, and as we felt tboroughiy 

 convinced of its cHirncy. we decided upon introducing it. Being ofiered 

 in convenient quantities for l.irge nr small requirements, v.e doubt not it 

 will soon entirely supersede the old shred —James Cauteu & Co. 



Training Vkacu Trees in a House {i?, .S.).— We do not advise thp 



covering of the bick wall of. your vinery, H5 feet by lt> feet, \\ith Po.ifh 



trees, for unless the Vines be more thjiu the usual dintanco apart thv 



Peach trees, though they may grov/ well, wiU seldom, if ever, produce a 



ci'np. The case will bediilVrcnt if the Vines are 5 or 6 feet apnrt ; enough 



light may then I'each the br>ck wall for tbo well ripening of the wood and 



perfection of the buds of thu P;'ae.Ji tree?. If tho Vine.s arc a less Uin- 



tiuice apart we v.duld advise tlic Peach trees to be grov.-n in pots as pvrn- 



mids or bushes, rud to be sat in the iutervala betv.-een the Vines, so as to 



afford them all the li-jht possible. If yon plant Ibe Peach trees ngaiuM 



the back wall, tlie shoots should not be tr.-;inod upright, as shown in your 



letter, as the lower pn-ts of the brauebt-s will soon become naked. Instead 



of training the slioots npi-igbt, bring them down to ,an angle of 45^, and 



cover tho wall with shoots D inches apart in diagonal cordons. The 



laterals, or side shoots, if they grow mora than .^n inch, arc to bo pinched 



at the third leaf, hut i.ny short sV.ibby shoots are not to lie interfered. 



with under any eircumst ince*;. The shoots once stopped ore thronghput 



the spason of their production to be pinched at the first leaf after the 



first stopping. Tho lender must be allowed to prow, and it need not 



, be stopped or pruned b.ick at the winter praning, but bent down to 



I an angle of 45-. and it v-iU break throughout its length. Auy latcrtd- 



I upon it should bo pinched .at the first leaf throughout. The l.iienlH. at 



I the winter pruning, if more than .T inches long, may be cut back to a 



, wi'od-bu'l, and if it be snrror,nde<l by fruit-buds all the' better. The Pcacli 



j will not buar the same pruning and spurring as Vines. 



I Acacia platvptera after Bi.oo:j:tng (J. D.).— The weak and dying 



I wood should be cut clenn out, and any long straggling shoots cut back. si.< 



j as to promote' the formation t>f :i compact head or plant. When the 



young shoots are an inch or two long, the plant should ho repotted, care- 



fully removing the old soil, or as much of it as possible, without destrov- 



ing or inj firing the fibres. Do not give a large shift, draiJi the pot well, 



and over the drainage place an inch or two of the rougher parts of the 



compost, which may consist of two-thirds tun'y loam, one-tbird sandy 



peat, and one-sixth of silver sand. Keep the soil moist, but be careful 



not to over-water, and keep close and shaded for a few days until the 



roots are «"orking iu tho fresh soil. 



LiLiCM LANCiFOLTUsr nHERUx fWcm).— The top-dressing should at onco 

 be removed, also the off-sefs. Look to the drainage of the pots, re- 

 move as much of tlie old soil as can be done without injuring the root*, 

 and replace it with fresh, some of the coarsest boin-g placed over the 

 drainage. The top-dressing must be repeated when the shoots are a few 

 inches above the rjm of the pot. 



Pine Apples (^r. C. TV.).— Tho three we like best are the Queen. 

 Smooth-leaved C'lyenne, and I^hick Jamaica, and we prow one-third 

 Queens iu proportion to two-tbirdd of the other two eoUectively. They 

 should not have a temperature of less than 55^ at night in winter, an'l 

 fruiting plants should have a night temperature in winter of 60^ to 65-. 

 Succession plants will endure a temperature of 45" if the soil and atmo- 

 sphere are dry, but it is not good for them. The piinoipal propagators of 

 Camellias are tUe Ghent nurserymen. 



Gr.AFTiNG-WAX MAKING— GRAFTING FoLLiES (A Fovr-yravn SvbHcribn-). 

 — A good grafting-wax may be made of Burgundy pitch 8 ozs., resin 8 ozs. 

 hees's wax 4 ozs., nnd Inrd 4 o;:s. Place the ingredient^ in a pan, unO 

 melt tbem over a slow fire. It should l»e used warm. Hohies m.ay be 

 grafted when tlie plants reconmicnce grov;-tb, which will be during .\.priJ. 

 but the exact time must, of course, depend on the season. It shoul*! 

 bu done before the buds of the scions begin to swell. 



Grape BuNCHrs Becoming TriroPFLsM Su&.v^rn&tr).— Irismninly totbe 

 immature state of the wood that the curling uf the bunches is due. The 

 embryo bunches are but inipcvft rtJy formed, and the roots we apprehend 

 are iu a cold, deep, and wet birder, hence the bunches curl up and be- 

 come tendrils. You can do nothing to prevent this bcyoud keeping the 

 border as dry as you can in winter, so aa to preserve as many of ihe fibres 

 as possible, that they may collect food for the support of the bunches. 

 In cold wet borders the Vines dD little towards the feeding of the 

 bunches at an early season, for the chief fibres perish in winter, and 

 others arc not reproduced until the soil has become warmed bv tho sun's 

 heat. The covering of the border is good, and the material employed for 

 the pui-pose should be removed early in April. Raising the terjpernture 

 will not prevent the bimches turning into tendrils, but vill increase their 

 tendency to do so. The temperature from the present time up to Aprit 

 iibonld never exceed 40^ from fire heat ; this will allow the Vines to hreftk 

 naturally. If you eommenee with the last weeli in March increase the- 

 temperature to 45- the first week, and then 5- fortnightly imtil you reach 

 (0° at night, which is to be the highest night temperature until "the Vines 

 are in flower, when the tcmper;;ture may be increased to Gy at ui^ht un- 

 til the blooming is past; afterwards keep it at from 60^ to Gri at night- 

 You cannot maintain too moist an atmosphere from the swelling of the« 

 buds till tha Vines flower, when they must not, of course, be syrintjed^ 

 nor can they have too much air, taldng care to avoid cold currents. Thx; 

 trough may be filled with clear liquid manure, wbieh is better than rain 

 water. The Vines being old their roots have, no doubt, gone down into- 

 bad soil, and far out of the intTuence of the sun's heat and of air. The 

 only effectviol remedy will be to make a new border and plant young, 

 Vines. The old Vines are far too old to lift and replant. 



Azalea Leaves Falling (Watmcr). — The Azalea leaves were broTmed. 

 at the tips as if the plants had been heavily syringed, and water allowed 

 to r r'p or ban? from them, or the bouse may have been kept excessivaly 

 moist. The foliage at this season should be kept dry, and the atmosphere 



